Blackmailed Into Bed by Heidi Betts

deep in his gut at the sight of her looking so happy. She was talking, teasing, her hands moving a mile a minute, then reaching into her bag for the things she’ d bought at the store.
    It took him a moment to realize the children weren’ t as noisy as he would have expected, and that Elena’ s animated hand motions weren’ t simply a side effect of her exuberant mood.
    She was speaking in sign language. The children bustling around her couldn’ t hear. Chase looked around and his eyes lit on the sign on the front of the building that labeled it a school for the deaf. Yet Elena was interacting with them as easily as she would anyone else… perhaps better.
    Oh, no, he didn’ t want to see this. Didn’ t even want to know about it.
    He spun around, glancing at the taxi waiting for him at the curb, then turned back.
    The kids loved her, loved the goodies she’ d brought them, loved the attention.
    And he hated it, because the entire situation was living, breathing proof that Elena wasn’ t the same shallow, vapid girl he’ d known nearly twenty years ago.
    His mind in turmoil, he whirled around again and stormed to the cab, ordering the driver to take him back to the hotel. He fumed the whole way, stopping just short of ranting to himself and removing any doubt from the cabbie’ s mind that he was a few quarters short of a roll.
    He didn’ t want to deal with any of this, didn’ t want to see Elena as a sweet, thoughtful woman who knew sign language and would choose to spend her days in Las Vegas entertaining a group of differently-abled children rather than shopping and running up his credit card bill.
    Had he ever met another woman who would do the same? His mother and sister-in-law, maybe, but they didn’ t count.
    What was he going to say to Elena when she got back tonight? He didn’ t think he could look at her the same as he had that morning. Or touch her without remembering the sight of her with those children.

    Because Chase had been so upset the day before when she’ d returned a little late from her outing, Elena made a point of getting back early this time. She was hot and sticky and looking forward to taking a quick shower before she needed to start getting ready for dinner.
    To her surprise, the suite was empty when she got there. She’ d expected to find Chase at the desk, clacking away at his laptop, or in the bedroom getting dressed. Instead, as she checked each room and even called for him, he was nowhere to be found. And he hadn’ t left a note to let her know where he was or when he’ d be back… at least none she could find.
    Well, maybe he was still working or one of his appointments had run long.
    She dropped her tote in a corner, left her sunglasses on the narrow kitchenette countertop and headed for the bathroom.
    Half an hour later, she emerged fresh and clean, with one towel wrapped around her wet hair and another tucked above her breasts. She was humming, off in her own little world, and didn’ t realize Chase was in the room until she glanced up and saw him standing on the other side of the wide, neatly made bed.
    She jumped, pressing a hand to her heart. “ Good Lord, you scared me,” she said with a light laugh.
    A little thrill went through her at the sight of him. He looked more handsome than any man had a right to be in his navy suit, his dark hair smoothly styled, a splash of color spilling down his chest from his tie. She was even getting used to his intense blue eyes and unsmiling mouth.
    “ You should have knocked on the bathroom door or given a yell when you got back so I’ d know you were here.” Moving to the dresser, she started opening and closing drawers, pulling out an assortment of underclothes. “ I won’ t be long. I was just about to get ready.”
    “ Don’ t bother.”
    His words, as well as the coldness in his tone, gave her pause. She stopped what she was doing, a pair of diaphanous black, French-cut panties dangling from her fingertips.
    “